Ethics Theory and Contemporary Issues

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Through a combination of the illuminating overviews composed by the editor and readings drawn from important traditional and contemporary sources, MacKinnon's acclaimed ETHICS provides students with a superbly balanced introduction to both ethical theory and the moral debates surrounding a variety of contemporary issues. Designed to offer instructors maximum flexibility and revised with the intention of providing reader friendly, but not superficial, access to many complex concepts, ETHICS is a comprehensive and clear-sighted introduction to both the general and specific arenas in which ethical deliberation is obliged to dwell.

Preface

xv

History of Ethics Time Line

xviii

PART ONE ETHICAL THEORY

1

(132)

Ethics and Ethical Reasoning

2

(16)

Why Study Ethics?

2

(1)

What Is Ethics?

2

(2)

Ethics and Religion

4

(1)

Ethical and Other Types of Evaluation

5

Ethical Terms

6

Ethics and Reasons

4

(3)

Ethical Reasoning and Arguments

7

(2)

The Structure of Ethical Reasoning and Argument

7

(1)

Evaluating and Making Good Arguments

8

(1)

Ethical Theory

9

(1)

Types of Ethical Theory

10

(1)

Can Ethics Be Taught?

11

(1)

Reading

Plato Euthyphro

12

(4)

Review Exercises

16

(1)

Selected Bibliography

16

(2)

Ethical Relativism

18

(12)

What Is Ethical Relativism?

18

(1)

Two Forms of Ethical Relativism

19

(1)

Reasons Supporting Ethical Relativism

19

(1)

The Diversity of Moral Views

19

(1)

Moral Uncertainty

20

(1)

Situational Differences

20

(1)

Are These Reasons Convincing?

20

(2)

The Diversity of Moral Views

20

(1)

Moral Uncertainty

21

(1)

Situational Differences

21

(1)

Further Considerations

22

(1)

Moral Realism

23

(1)

Moral Pluralism

24

(1)

Mary Midgley Trying Out One's New Sword

25

(3)

Review Exercises

28

(1)

Selected Bibliography

28

(2)

Egoism

30

(19)

Psychological Egoism

31

(2)

What is Psychological Egoism?

31

(1)

Is Psychological Egoism True?

32

(1)

Ethical Egoism

33

(1)

What is Ethical Egoism?

33

(1)

Is Ethical Egoism a Good Theory?

33

(1)

The Moral Point of View

34

(1)

Why Be Moral?

35

(2)

Plato The Ring of Gyges

37

(6)

Thomas Hobbes Self Love

43

(5)

Review Exercises

48

(1)

Selected Bibliography

48

(1)

Utilitarianism

49

(23)

Historical Hackground

50

(1)

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill

50

(1)

The Principle of Utility

50

(3)

A Consequentialist Principle

51

(1)

The Intrinsic Good: Pleasure or Happiness

51

(1)

Calculating the Greatest Amount of Happiness

52

(1)

Quantity and Quality of Pleasure

53

(1)

Evaluating Utilitarianism

54

(1)

Application of the Principle

54

(1)

Utilitarianism and Personal Integrity

55

(1)

Ends and Means

55

(1)

Act and Rule Utilitarianism

55

(1)

``Proof'' of The Theory

56

(1)

Contemporary Versions

57

(3)

Preference Utilitarianism

57

(1)

Cost-Benefit Analysis

58

(2)

Jeremy Bentham An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789)

60

(5)

John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism

65

(5)

Review Exercises

70

(1)

Selected Bibliography

71

(1)

Kant's Moral Theory

72

(23)

Historical Background: Immanuel Kant

73

(1)

What Gives An Act Moral Worth?

73

(2)

What Is the Right Motive?

74

(1)

What is the Right Thing to Do?

74

(1)

The Categorical Imperative

75

(3)

The First Form

75

(1)

The Second Form

76

(2)

Evaluating Kant's Moral Theory

78

(2)

The Nature of Moral Obligation

78

(1)

The Application of the Categorical Imperative

78

(1)

Duty

79

(1)

Moral Equality and Impartiality

79

(1)

Perfect and Imperfect Duties

80

(1)

Variations on Kantian Moral Theory

80

(2)

Reading

Immanuel Kant Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals

82

(11)

Review Exercises

93

(1)

Selected Bibliography

93

(2)

Natural Law and Natural Rights

95

(14)

Natural Law Theory

95

(1)

What Kind of Law Is Natural Law?

95

(1)

Historical Origins: Aristotle

96

(6)

Nature, Human Nature, and the Human Good

96

(2)

Evaluating Natural Law Theory

98

(1)

Natural Rights

99

(1)

Evaluating Natural Rights Theory

100

(2)

Readings

Thomas Aquinas On Natural Law

102

(2)

John Locke Second Treatise of Civil Government

104

(3)

Review Exercises

107

(1)

Selected Bibliography

107

(2)

Virtue Ethics

109

(24)

Virtues and Everyday Life

109

(1)

What Is Virtue?

110

(1)

Masculine and Feminine Virtues

111

(2)

Evaluating Virtue Ethics

113

(2)

Readings

Aristotle The Nicomachean Ethics

115

(6)

Philippa Foot Virtues and Vices

121

(9)

Review Exercises

130

(1)

Selected Bibliography

130

(3)

PART TWO ETHICAL ISSUES

133

(337)

Euthanasia

134

(28)

Brain Death, Coma, and Persistent Vegetative State

135

(1)

Meaning and Types of Euthanasia

136

(8)

Active and Passive Euthanasia

136

(2)

Physician-Assisted Suicide

138

(2)

Pain Medication that Causes Death

140

(1)

Ordinary and Extraordinary Measures

141

(1)

Voluntary and Nonvoluntary Euthanasia

142

(1)

Combining the Types of Euthanasia

143

(1)

Morality and the Law

144

(1)

Making Moral Judgments About Euthanasia

144

(4)

The Moral Significance of Voluntariness

144

(2)

Active Versus Passive Euthanasia

146

(1)

Ordinary Versus Extraordinary Measures

147

(1)

Infant Euthanasia

148

(3)

Readings

J. Gay-Williams The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia

151

(3)

James Rachels Active and Passive Euthanasia

154

(4)

Review Exercises

158

(1)

Discussion Cases

159

(1)

Selected Bibliography

160

(2)

Abortion

162

(35)

Stages of Fetal Development

163

(1)

Methods of Abortion

164

(1)

Abortion and the Law

164

(2)

Abortion: The Moral Question

166

(1)

Arguments that Do Not Depend on the Moral Status of the Fetus

167

(1)

Utilitarian Reasoning

167

(1)

Some Rights Arguments

168

(1)

Arguments that Depend on the Moral Status of the Fetus

168

(7)

Method I

169

(2)

Method II

171

(4)

Readings

Judith Jarvis Thomson A Defense of Abortion

175

(11)

Don Marquis Why Abortion Is Immoral

186

(8)

Review Exercises

194

(1)

Discussion Cases

194

(1)

Selected Bibliography

195

(2)

Sexual Morality

197

(23)

Conceptual Problems: What Is and Is Not Sexual

199

(1)

Relevant Factual Matters

200

(1)

Sexual Morality and Ethical Theories

200

(4)

Consequentialist or Utilitarian Considerations

201

(1)

Nonconsequentialist or Kantian Considerations

202

(1)

Naturalness Considerations

202

(2)

Homosexuality

204

(2)

Readings

Thomas Nagel Sexual Perversion

206

(6)

Richard D. Mohr Prejudice and Homosexuality

212

(6)

Review Exercises

218

(1)

Discussion Cases

218

(1)

Selected Bibliography

218

(2)

Pornography

220

(24)

Liberty-Limiting Principles

221

(5)

The Harm Principle

222

(1)

The Social Harm Principle

223

(1)

The Offense Principle

224

(1)

Legal Paternalism

225

(1)

Legal Moralism

225

(1)

Feminism and Pornography

226

(2)

Readings

John Stuart Mill On Libert

228

(2)

Ann Garry Sex, Lies, and Respect

230

(11)

Review Exercises

241

(1)

Discussion Cases

242

(1)

Selected Bibliography

242

(2)

Equality and Discrimination

244

(26)

Civil Rights Laws: A Brief History

247

(1)

Racism and Sexism

248

(2)

The Principle of Equality

250

(4)

Justice

250

(1)

Social Benefits and Harms

251

(1)

Proof

251

(1)

Real Differences

251

(1)

Relevant Differences

252

(1)

Challenges to the Principle

252

(2)

Affirmative Action and Preferential Treatment

254

(6)

Consequentialist Considerations

255

(2)

Nonconsequentialist Considerations

257

(3)

Readings

Robert K. Fullinwider Affirmative Action and Fairness

260

(4)

Lisa Newton Reverse Discrimination as Unjustified

264

(3)

Review Exercises

267

(1)

Discussion Cases

267

(1)

Selected Bibliography

268

(2)

Economic Justice

270

(30)

Process or End State Distributive Justice

272

(1)

Equal Opportunity

273

(2)

Political and Economic Theories

275

(7)

Libertarianism

275

(1)

Capitalism

276

(1)

Socialism

276

(1)

Modern Liberalism

277

(1)

John Rawls's Theory of Justice

278

(2)

Communitarianism

280

(2)

Readings

John Rawls Justice as Fairness

282

(7)

Robert Nozick Distributive Justice

289

(8)

Review Exercises

297

(1)

Discussion Cases

297

(1)

Selected Bibliography

298

(2)

Legal Punishment

300

(29)

The Nature of Legal Punishment

302

(1)

The Deterrence Argument

303

(1)

Problematic Aspects

303

(1)

The Retributivist Argument

304

(2)

Problematic Aspects

306

(1)

Punishment and Responsibility

306

(2)

The Death Penalty

308

(4)

On Deterrence Grounds

308

(1)

On Retributivist Grounds

309

(1)

Other Concerns

310

(2)

Readings

Hugo Adam Bedau A World Without Punishment

312

(9)

Ernest van den Haag The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense

321

(5)

Review Exercises

326

(1)

Discussion Cases

327

(1)

Selected Bibliography

327

(2)

Environmental Ethics

329

(31)

The Environment

330

(1)

Value

331

(1)

Anthropocentrism

331

(5)

Cost-Benefit Analysis

332

(1)

Human Environmental Impact

333

(3)

Ecocentrism

336

(2)

Deep Ecology

338

(1)

Ecofeminism

339

(1)

Sustainable Development

340

(3)

Readings

William F. Baxter People or Penguins: The Case for Optimal Pollution

343

(5)

Bill Devall and George Sessions Deep Ecology

348

(9)

Review Exercises

357

(1)

Discussion Cases

357

(1)

Selected Bibliography

358

(2)

Animal Rights

360

(27)

Sentience

361

(1)

Animal Rights

362

(2)

Animal Experimentation

364

(3)

Endangered Species

367

(3)

Readings

Peter Singer All Animals Are Equal

370

(8)

Bonnie Steinbock Speciesism and the Idea of Equality

378

(6)

Review Exercises

384

(1)

Discussion Cases

385

(1)

Selected Bibliography

385

(2)

Stem-Cell Research, Cloning, and Genetic Engineering

387

(32)

Stem-Cell Research

387

(2)

Legal and Ethical Issues

388

(1)

Human Cloning

389

(5)

Therapeutic Cloning.

389

(1)

Reproductive Cloning

389

(2)

Ethical Issues

391

(3)

Genetic Engineering

394

(3)

Ethical Issues

395

(2)

Genetically Modified Plants and Animals

397

(2)

Ethical Issues

398

(1)

Genetic Screening

399

(4)

The Value of Privacy

399

(1)

Screening and Conflicts of Interest

400

(3)

Readings

Leon R. Kass The Wisdom of Repugnance

403

(6)

Kerry Lynn Macintosh Illegal Beings: Human Clones and the Law

409

(7)

Review Exercises

416

(1)

Discussion Cases

416

(1)

Selected Bibliography

416

(3)

Violence, Terrorism, and War

419

(25)

Violence

419

(2)

Terrorism

421

(2)

Ethical Issues

422

(1)

Pacifism

423

(1)

Just War Theory

424

(3)

Jus ad Bellum

425

(1)

Jus in Bello

426

(1)

Weapons of Mass Destruction

427

(1)

War Crimes and Universal Human Rights

428

(4)

Readings

Jean Bethke Elshtain What Is a Terrorist?

432

(4)

Michael Walzer The Triumph of just War Theory (and the Dangers of Success)